Texas Republican candidates in statewide races are making Islam a key issue in this election cycle.
Several GOP contenders, particularly in high-profile statewide contests, are framing opposition to what they call "Islamification" as a matter of public safety, immigration enforcement, and preserving American values, The Texas Tribune reported.
One of the most prominent examples comes from Aaron Reitz, a former deputy Texas attorney general and a current candidate for attorney general, who recently aired his first television ad.
Rather than focusing on border security or his ties to President Donald Trump, Reitz focused directly on Islam.
"Politicians have imported millions of Muslims into our country," Reitz said in the ad, claiming it has led to “more terrorism, more crime” and efforts to impose Sharia in Texas — charges Muslim groups strongly dispute.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who is also running for attorney general, has echoed similar themes, arguing that Islam is not merely a religion but a political ideology when it intersects with public life.
Shariah has strict rules for women's behavior and rules governing education.
Roy recently told former Trump adviser Steve Bannon that Texas lawmakers must take whatever steps are necessary, including constitutional changes, to prevent what he described as radical political Islam from taking root in the state.
Roy and Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, recently launched the Sharia-Free America Caucus and are backing legislation that would deny entry into the U.S. to individuals who adhere to Shariah and remove noncitizens who do.
Texas is home to more than 300,000 Muslims — one of the largest Muslim populations in the nation — and the debate is reshaping state politics.
In November, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as terrorist organizations, citing national security concerns.
Abbott said both groups seek to undermine U.S. laws and impose Sharia law, allegations CAIR denies.
The order followed months of controversy surrounding a proposed Islamic residential development in North Texas, known as The Meadow, which Republicans have accused of attempting to create a Shariah-governed enclave.
Developers say the project is open to all Texans regardless of faith.
The debate has spilled into Texas' heated U.S. Senate GOP primary, where Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton have attacked one another over who is tougher on what they describe as radical Islam.
Cornyn recently released a TV ad labeling "radical Islam" a "bloodthirsty ideology," while Paxton accused Cornyn of enabling Islamist influence through immigration policies.
The Hill last month reported that Texas and Florida Republicans are leading a broader national push to target Muslim advocacy organizations, particularly CAIR, which some GOP lawmakers describe as a national security threat.
Supporters of the effort argue the moves are necessary to combat extremism and protect Americans, while critics claim the actions violate constitutional protections.
Texas Republicans counter that the issue is not religion but ideology and assimilation.
U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, a Gulf War veteran and Senate candidate, said Shariah is fundamentally incompatible with American liberty and equality under the law.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.